Annual SYSA Photo Contest is Open!

Enter the 2024 SYSA Photo Contest!

Entries due by midnight, Sunday November 10

Send submissions to photos@sysa.org today!

We want to SEE how much fun everyone has been having out there on the field this fall! Introducing our third annual SYSA fall photo contest!

We know you've taken some awesome shots this year and we are excited to see them and relive all of the great moments from the season. From the on-field action to post-match snacks and celebrations: we are looking for images that are fun, engaging, and capture the enjoyment and energy of the game.

2023 Action Category Winner

TWO CATEGORIES TO ENTER:

ACTION SHOTS - includes anything happening on the field, during the run of play

FEATURE SHOTS - from team huddles to high-fives and everything in between

RULES & GUIDELINES:

  • Photos must have been taken during the 2024 fall soccer season.

  • Images must be of SYSA teams (any of the 12 neighborhood clubs plus Seattle United). Images from middle or high school soccer games, or from other Seattle area club games, will not be accepted into the contest.

  • Send submissions to photos@sysa.org. When submitting, please include the following: Photographer’s name and the club, team & age group featured in the photo. Also which category you are entering.

  • Each photographer may enter up to 5 images total.

  • By submitting images, you are giving SYSA permission to use your images on our social media accounts and on our website, regardless of if you win or not.

2023 Feature Category Winner

Entries are due by Sunday November 10,

send in your submissions to photos@sysa.org today!

Winning images will be voted on and chosen by SYSA staff. Winners will receive a prize as well as be featured in an upcoming issue of the Center Circle and on the SYSA blog and Instagram account! Good luck! We can't wait to see what you send in!

Questions? Reach out to megan.lund@sysa.org

Seattle's TOPSoccer program is looking for high school volunteers! Sign up today.

Seattle Youth Soccer Association offers a broad range of leagues and programs to soccer seeking youth across the Seattle area. Today we are taking a moment to highlight the TOPSoccer program which offers players with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in the beautiful game.

TOPSoccer is a nationally supported program through US Youth Soccer, but run locally as a community-based soccer program for boys and girls 4 years old and up. Organized by volunteers, this unique program enables players to participate at levels consistent with their skills. Players are grouped by ability, not just age, so that they can develop at their own pace. This program provides a wonderful opportunity for youth with special needs to be included in the soccer community and participate in physical activities, grow socially and emotionally, and connect with others.

In addition to the players, TOPSoccer has a second component, and that is the opportunity for volunteers (typically high school students) to be "Buddies" and assist and support players on the field. High school students seeking opportunities to volunteer in an environment that provides a connection to sports, education and assisting people with disabilities are encouraged to participate. Buddies do not need to be soccer players themselves to help out.

The TOPSoccer program in Seattle currently runs out of Magnuson Arena Sports and is led by volunteers Jeff Rochon, Ryan Chang, Alison Winfield, Gail Vecchiet and Katie Zwiebel. Prior to their leadership, TOPSoccer was in the hands of Ken Lauzen who spearheaded the program for 15 years. Ken originally got involved after his daughter Devan started playing years ago. At the time that she started TOPSoccer, the sessions were being run by a generous high school volunteer. After a few weeks of Devan being involved, Ken was asked if he would be interested in helping out and possibly taking over. Because Ken knew how much his daughter was enjoying the program, he didn't want it to disappear. So TOPSoccer was dropped into his lap, and he ran with it.

"We ran a good, fun program for years that really grew and grew," Ken said. "We had lots of parents helping, lots of high school kids out there helping as Buddies. Parents got time to hang out together and create community. It was great."

All levels of players can participate in TOPSoccer. Ken says his goal was always that he wanted the kids to "get exercise, have fun, feel a sense of inclusion - and oh by the way, we have soccer balls out there too." Emphasizing the community, the physical activity and the fun elements, in addition to learning soccer skills, was always very important to him.

“You get kids out here, some have no idea why they are out there or what they are doing, but you give them high fives and encouragement and they leave with excitement and enthusiasm and can’t wait to come back. That’s what this is all about.”
— Ken Lauzen

TOPSoccer is a donation-based and volunteer run program. Arena Sports donates the fields and the equipment, which is a HUGE component to this program remaining feasible and being able to reach so many kids. The Seattle TOPSoccer program has very little operating costs, requiring only small player registration fees that go to cover the minimal expenses (one of which is the end-of-season party that is a much anticipated event among players).

Current TOPSoccer volunteer Alison Winfield helps manage the program off the field with fellow volunteer Gail, while Jeff, Ryan and Katie run the field sessions. Like Ken, Alison's daughter has participated for years, and because of her daughter's experience, she didn't want to see the program go away. She volunteered to be a part of the group who took over last year when Ken stepped away following his daughter's graduation from high school and the TOPSoccer program. Alison wanted to help continue the program because of how much her daughter has loved it. "It's a fun, very relaxed opportunity to get kids out and busy and moving around and making friends. It's also a wonderful opportunity for parents to be around other parents who understand each other.”

Volunteer to be a buddy!

High school students, this is the perfect opportunity if you are looking to:

- get service hours

- engage with kids & young adults

- have fun and play soccer!

In looking ahead to the upcoming spring season, Alison says that a record number of players have registered. That is great news for the program, but also means the need for on-field volunteers has increased. "We are looking for high school students to be Buddies and join in and experience the joy of helping others. Optimally, we would love to have a 1-1 match-up of player-to-Buddy. You can get service hours, and it's only a small commitment, 2 hours each Sunday for 8 weeks. My son participates and really enjoys it," says Alison.

“I really enjoy being a Buddy for TOPSoccer.  It is a great opportunity to introduce a sport I love to my sister and her friends with disabilities. I’ve seen the players make tons of progress over the years and it is very rewarding! ”
— Kirby, TOPSoccer Volunteer

The spring TOPSoccer program starts mid April and runs into early June. Sessions are all on Sundays at Arena Sports Magnuson. Register today if you are interested in volunteering to be a Buddy! Reach out to anne.bare@sysa.org with questions.

SYSA Fall 2023 Photo Contest Winners! Feature Category

Our second annual SYSA Fall Photo Contest was a hit! We want to thank everyone who participated and sent in images. There were so many amazing and memorable entries.

Images were voted on by SYSA staff members and winners were selected on the criteria of being fun, engaging moments that showed the enjoyment and energy of the game. Images that captured the spirit of fall soccer. Below see our picks for top 3 FEATURE images, plus 3 honorable mentions.

Additional images will be shared on our SYSA Instagram account over the next several weeks. Be sure to follow us to see your images featured!

First place - Toby Sinton

GU9 Mount Baker Lakewood Black Foxes celebrate after a game

second place - Allen Chan

BU6 McGilvra Wildcats pose for a photo after their last game of the season

THird place - Eugene Tagawa

GU7 Beacon Hill Ninjas celebrate on the field

honorable mention - Jon Brenner

GU9 Lake City Thundercats view a partial eclipse during their halftime break

honorable mention - Annabelle Mathieu

BU9 Capital Hill Mud Monsters give high fives to Mount Baker Lakewood after their game

honorable mention - Jessica Bidwell

GU6 Woodland Wolverines do a team cheer

SYSA Fall 2023 Photo Contest Winners! Action Category

Our second annual SYSA Fall Photo Contest was a hit! We want to thank everyone who participated and sent in images. There were so many amazing and memorable entries.

Images were voted on by SYSA staff members and winners were selected on the criteria of being fun, engaging moments that showed the enjoyment and energy of the game. Images that captured the spirit of fall soccer. Below see our picks for top 3 ACTION images, plus 3 honorable mentions.

Additional images will be shared on our SYSA Instagram account over the next several weeks. Be sure to follow us to see your images featured!

First place - Tom Lavelle

BU12 SC Queen Anne Black Thunder play against the Woodland Wildcats

SECOND PLACE - Mary Wong

Seattle United Girls U8 Tango play against Crossfire

THIRD PLACe - Aaron Rhodes

BU11 Ballard Orca play against SC Queen Anne Tasmanian Tigers

honorable mention - Mary Wong

Seattle United Girls U8 Tango play against Northwest United Black

Honorable mention - Annabelle Mathieu

BU9 Capital Hill Mud Monsters play against Mount Baker Lakewood

HONORABLE MENTION - Bo Borgerson

BU11 Hillwood Raptors play against the LC Emerald Otters

2023 CITY TOURNAMENT WINNERS

The 2023 City Tournament finals took place on Saturday December 16th. Here are all the winners and finalist, in age group order:

GU11 Silver Champs - HW Cheetahs

Finalists - BAL Thunder WOlves

BU11 Silver Champs - QA Jaguars

finalists - BAL Golden goals

gu11 gold champs - wd fast flying tigers

finalists - wd hurricanes

Bu11 gold champs - mcg blazers

finalists - ch pirates

gu12 silver champs - bal gummy bears

finalists - mcg fireworks

bu12 silver champs - wd mighty hogs

finalists - wd wolfpack

gu12 gold champs - mcg pink panthers

finalists - bh flaming dragons

bu12 gold champs - mag thunder

finalists - bal fire breathing gummy bears

GU13 champs - lvr unicorns

finalists - bal laser cats

bu13 champs - mcg panthers

finalists - sl rockets

Gu14 champs - mcg raptors

finalists - lvr snow leopards

Bu14 champs - bal turf titans

finalists - bh red arrows

bu15 champs - lvr alpine strikers

finalists - lc socceroos

gu16 champs - bal flash

finalists - mag magnificent

bu16 champs - bal wolfpack

finalists - mcg ac pacifico

gu18/19 champs - bal thunderbirds

finalists - lc girls 06 hawks

BU19 champs - lvr strikers

finalists - mbl evergreen

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello SYSA community!

On this day of giving thanks, we wanted to take the opportunity to express the overwhelming gratitude that we have for every member of our SYSA community. This community is SO MUCH MORE than soccer - this community connects us all and brings us back to the things that really matter: the people around us and the joy of the beautiful game. Whether you are a player, a referee, a coach, a parent, a volunteer, a sponsor, or a supporter in any way, we are extremely grateful because each and every one of you plays a crucial role in helping us cultivate this wonderful soccer community that we have all built together throughout the Seattle and Shoreline area.

Not only are we grateful today, but we are grateful every time we step on that field because the game of soccer does not happen without the contributions of everyone. Just as we must always be grateful for our opponents (because we can't play a match without someone to go up against), we are always grateful for each individual member in our community and are very conscious of the value you provide to the whole.

For our volunteers: parents & players - we ask that you help us in recognizing and expressing gratitude to those volunteers that made fall soccer possible for you this year. To our volunteers specifically, the time and energy that you freely gave allowed over 10,000 players to play soccer this season. Whether you were coaching, helping with administrative work, a member of a board, managing a team, or organizing any of the many moving parts, we are extremely appreciative of this gift that you have given to SYSA players and their families. 

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you! We are grateful for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community and continue our mission of spreading the joy of soccer throughout the Seattle area.

The SYSA Executive Director and Staff

Rules Updates for Fall 2023 League Play

This summer, there were several rule updates instituted by Washington Youth Soccer in an effort to improve "player safety and create a shared understanding among all stakeholders – referees, coaches, players, parents, etc. – for a better playing experience." These changes were decided upon by a group that included the State Youth Referee Administrator, Richard Meeks, and league and association leaders across all levels of competition of WYS.

What are the changes to take note of?

  • No heading at U12, heading is now only allowed U13 and up

  • No punting at U12, punting is now only allowed U13 and up

  • Offsides is now called from the midfield line at U9 - U12, NOT at the build-out line (there is no offsides at U8 and below, there is a build-out line U12 and below)


Why did these changes occur and who made them?

Washington Youth Soccer has said that "the goal is to align rule modifications in WYS-sanctioned play to create a shared understanding and alleviate confusion across all stakeholders."

The groups that participated in the discussion and aligned around the new modifications are:

  • District 2 (EYSA, LWYSA, NYSA, SnVYSA) 

  • North Puget Sound League

  • Regional Club League

  • Seattle Youth Soccer Association

  • South Sound United League

  • Washington Inland Soccer League


  This SYSA Rules of Play chart reflects the current changes and is accurate:

Be sure to check the SYSA Rules & Regulations for a full explanation of all of our league rules.

Join SYSA at the UW vs Oregon State game & get an exclusive scarf!

Come support the UW Huskies on Sept 30th!

Washington Huskies Men's Soccer is excited to welcome SYSA out to the UW vs Oregon State match on Saturday, September 30th at 7:00 PM!

For this match only, get an exclusive Washington Huskies Rivalry Soccer Scarf with a ticket purchase through this link:

Reach out with any questions. We look forward to seeing you out sporting your exclusive Washington scarf. See you on September 30th!

The DP Open mini golf tournament is August 19th!

The DP Open, a longstanding tradition of the DP Foundation, is mixing it up this year. After six successful years as an outdoor golf tournament, they are switching gears to bring you an exciting mini golf tournament at Flatstick Pub!

In memory of Daniel Phelps

The DP Open was established in memory of Daniel Phelps, a beloved alumni of the University of Washington Men's Soccer team who tragically lost his life to sudden cardiac arrest in December 2015.

The DP Open is a tribute to Daniel and our continuous effort to save and support young lives in our community. Over the years, the DP Foundation has raised over $200K, screened over 4000 hearts and donated 5 AEDs, one of which was used to save a young girl's life at Starfire in June of 2022.


Come support this amazing organization and help save lives! 

The DP Open mini golf tournament will take place on August 19th from 10am-3pm at the Flatstick Pub in Redmond!

  • This is a kid-friendly event, so bring the whole family!

  • Attendees have the option to book a tee time or they can select the "no specific time" option which gives them the flexibility to arrive and play anytime between 10am and 3pm

  • It will be a 19-hole game, including 9 mini golf, 9 Duffleboard (a game uniquely designed by Flatstick), and 1 soccer hole

  • Food and drinks will be available for purchase

  • There will be fun raffle items, prizes, and entertainment for kids

Your participation will help the DP Foundation continue their crucial work, honor Daniel, and make a difference in the community. If you have questions, please email adam@dpopen.com.